This article was contributed by community members. The views expressed here are those of the author.
Bethpage Water District (BWD) would like to remind all residents that Nassau County and the New York State Department of Health require annual compliance testing of all return equipment before December 31, 2021. Because this important measure can ensure that potentially harmful pollutants do not enter the public distribution system.
BWD Chairman John Coumatos (John Coumatos) said: "Having a properly functioning return device can prevent harmful pollutants from entering our community's water supply system, thereby better protecting you and your neighbors." "If there is no return device. , Fertilizers and herbicides in residential lawns can be sucked into the public water supply system under pressure interference. This device can ensure that this will not happen."
The backflow prevention device is composed of mechanical double check valves, which can prevent the water flow from reversing. When the water pressure in the public distribution system drops suddenly (for example, when used by firefighters or the water mains rupture), reverse flow may occur. Therefore, the return flow equipment must be tested annually to ensure proper installation and operation to protect the water supply from pollution and contamination.
BWD encourages all its customers to arrange for reflow testers certified by the New York State Department of Health to test their reflow equipment as soon as possible and avoid any potential penalties for non-compliance. A list of certified local reflow testers is available on bethpagewater.com. Residents who have questions about annual reflow testing, compliance issues, or certified reflow testers are encouraged to contact the school district at 516-931-0093 or send an email to info@bethpagewater.com.
More information about the Bethpage Water District:
The Bethpage Water District has six pumping stations and nine water supply wells within its five square mile service area. This important infrastructure can pump more than 13,000 gallons of water in one minute, or 6 billion gallons of water each year. Although the system design far exceeds the school district’s average annual demand of 1.5 billion gallons, it must be prepared to meet demand during peak periods of the year and during extreme weather, fire, or supply system problems. In order to prepare its water supply system to supply drinking water under any circumstances, the area has two overhead storage tanks and two ground storage tanks, which can store more than 6 million gallons of water in total.
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